A man who was reportedly arrested for punching a conductor in his mouth after failing to extort $200 from him, claimed he delivered the blow after the conductor called him a “b…. bwoy”.

Mario Nugent, 20, was recently arrested and charged with extortion following allegations that he approached the bus conductor on Eastwood Park Road, demanded $200 and when his demand was not met, punched the complainant in his mouth.

But on Friday when Nugent appeared in court his lawyer, CJ Mitchell, repeatedly denied that his client was trying to extort money from the complainant.

According to Mitchell, his client and another man were sharing a bottle of beer, and when the complainant saw them drinking from the same bottle and made remark about them being “b…. bwoys”, his client punched the complainant.

But the liaison officer told the court that the accused was trying to extort the complainant whom he also threatened.

RM Pusey refused to grant Nugent bail and remanded him until October 22.